A U.S. passport for adults is generally valid for 10 years and needs to be renewed after that period. Passport holders can renew their passports at any time while the passport is still valid or if it expired within the last 15 years. It is recommended to renew approximately 6 to 9 months before the expiration date, especially because many countries require passports to have at least six months of validity remaining for entry. The renewal process can take several weeks, so planning ahead is advised. Passports must also be renewed if they are damaged or full. Children have passports that are valid for 5 years and will have different renewal timing requirements. In summary:
- Adult passports are valid for 10 years.
- Renewal can be done anytime while valid or up to 15 years after expiry.
- Best practice is to renew 6-9 months before expiration.
- Required to renew if damaged or full.
- For children, validity is 5 years.
This information applies specifically to U.S. passports; other countries may have different rules.
